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How to Draw a Dinosaur

If you want to learn how to draw a dinosaur, you are in the right place. Today I will show you many dinosaur drawing guides that I created especially for this article.

how to draw a dinosaur
how to draw a dinosaur step by step

How to Draw a Dinosaur: Basic Information

So, how to draw a dinosaur? I aimed to answer this question with some very simple drawing lessons. The result is not a scary, realistic dinosaur in a dynamic pose, but a friendly, cartoonish one.

I chose a simplistic, cartoon style to create a dinosaur that resembles a toy or a children’s cartoon character. This effect was achieved using smooth, rounded lines, cartoonish proportions, and minimal details.

Special attention was given to the facial features. Smooth, rounded contour lines are combined with minimalistic features. The mouth is depicted with a simple line, and the eye is an oval with a highlight. I avoided complex shadows, detailed eyes or teeth, and texture painting. Despite the simplicity, basic proportions and body part contours are maintained.

If you want to draw a more realistic dinosaur, stay tuned until the end of the tutorial. I’ll show additional tutorials and techniques to transform your cartoonish dinosaur into a more believable creature. By adjusting the facial features, refining the body proportions, and adding intricate details, you’ll be able to create a realistic dinosaur!.

Dinosaur Drawing Tutorial

Materials

  • Pencil
  • Paper
  • Eraser
  • Coloring supplies

Time needed: 40 minutes

How to Draw a Dinosaur

  1. Draw the head circle of the dinosaur.

    Begin by drawing a small circle in the upper part of your paper. This circle will serve as the head of your dinosaur, acting as the starting point for your drawing. Place the circle slightly off-center to the left to ensure there is enough space for the body, legs, and tail.
    Drawing the head of the dinosaur

  2. Draw the body oval of the dinosaur.

    Position the oval centrally below the head, ensuring it is horizontally aligned to maintain the proper proportion between the head and body. The size of the oval should be significantly larger than the head circle to reflect the dinosaur’s body correctly.
    Drawing the body of the dinosaur

  3. Connect the head and body.

    Draw two curved lines from the lower sides of the head circle to the upper part of the body oval. These lines will form the neck of your dinosaur, giving it a graceful and natural look. Start the lines from the head, curving slightly outwards before they connect to the body.
    Drawing the neck of the dino

  4. Add the tail.

    To add the tail, draw a curved line extending from the left side of the body oval. The tail should start broad where it connects to the body and gradually taper to a point at the end, creating a slightly triangular shape. The tail adds to the overall silhouette of the dinosaur, giving it a characteristic look.
    drawing the tail

  5. Draw the face of the dinosaur.

    Next, focus on adding details to the face. Inside the head circle, draw a small oval to represent the eye. Place the eye towards the upper right side of the circle to give the dinosaur a friendly expression. Below the eye, draw a small curved line to form a smiling mouth.
    Drawing the facial features

  6. Add the front legs.

    Start by sketching two small rectangles at the bottom of the body oval, near the front part. These rectangles will serve as the front legs, providing the basis for the dinosaur’s stance. Ensure the rectangles are of equal size and shape to maintain symmetry.
    Adding the front legs

  7. Add the hind legs.

    Repeat the process from Step 6 to draw the hind legs, placing these rectangles near the back part of the body oval. Make sure these hind legs are similar in size and shape to the front legs for uniformity. The hind legs should align well with the overall body structure.
    Drawing the hind legs

  8. Refine the outlines and erase the guidelines.

    In this step, clean up your drawing by erasing any unnecessary lines from your sketch. Ensure the curves and connections between the body parts are smooth and natural. This step will make your dinosaur drawing look more polished and ready for coloring.
    Coloring the dinosaur

Additional Сontent

The dinosaur drawing tutorial has come to an end. To ensure you can draw this ancient creature anytime without needing the Internet, I recommend downloading the free PDF version of the lesson. This PDF includes all the stages of this guide, allowing you to follow along at your own pace.

Additionally, it contains some really helpful additions that provide extra tips and techniques to improve your drawing skills. By using the PDF, you can practice and perfect your dinosaur drawing abilities offline, ensuring you have all the information you need.

How to Draw a Dinosaur: Additional Methods

In this section, I will introduce several different methods for drawing a dinosaur in a cartoon style. Each method has its own unique approach and style, allowing you to learn various techniques to find the one that suits you best. Whether you prefer simple, rounded shapes for a friendly and approachable look, or more detailed and dynamic poses for an action-packed feel, there is a method here that will be ideal for you.

Drawing a Brachiosaurus

This tutorial introduces a slightly different sequence of steps and drawing principles, focusing on the classic step-by-step method using simple geometric shapes.

Start by sketching an oval for the body and a smaller oval for the head. Connect the head and body with two lines for the neck, and add a curved tail. Draw the eye on the head. Next, add two rectangles for the front legs and two more for the hind legs.

This method is very convenient, especially for simplified or cartoon styles, as it relies heavily on smooth and rounded shapes, which remain prominent in the final version.

how to draw a dinosaur step by step

Drawing a Dinosaur for Kindergarten

This is the easiest dinosaur drawing tutorial ever, designed as an additional instruction to the first one.

Start by drawing a large oval for the body and a smaller oval for the head. Connect them with two lines for the neck and add a simple curved tail. Draw the legs as rectangles, simplifying the form further. Add a small dot for the eye and a curved line for the mouth.

This step-by-step method excludes all details that might complicate the lesson, such as rounded paws or highlights inside the eye. Finally, color your dinosaur to complete the drawing.

Drawing a Cartoon Stegosaurus

For this simple tutorial, I used a stegosaurus as a prototype, a famous dinosaur known for its bony plates.

Start by drawing an oval for the body and a smaller oval for the head. Connect them with a curved line for the neck. Add a long, curved tail extending from the body. Sketch the legs using simple shapes, with the front legs first, followed by the hind legs.

Add the facial features, drawing a simple eye and mouth. Draw the characteristic bony plates along the back and tail. Finally, refine your drawing and color it to complete your cartoon Stegosaurus.

This guide offers a great way to add variety to your dinosaur drawings while keeping a simple, cartoon style.

how to draw a cartoon dinosaur step by step

Drawing a Simple Dinosaur

This is another dinosaur drawing guide. I drew a large dinosaur with a long neck and a small tail. The drawing steps in this tutorial are different from several previous lessons but quite similar to my main drawing tutorial.

Start by sketching the head, adding eyes and a smile. Draw the long neck and a body that resembles a large comma. Add the front legs, followed by the hind legs, ensuring they have rounded and smooth lines. Carefully draw the claws on the paws. Add some spots on the body for detail. Finally, color your dinosaur to complete the drawing.

Drawing a Cute Dinosaur

In this final tutorial, I will show you another way to draw a very simple and cute dinosaur with a short tail and a very long neck.

Start by drawing the head using a rounded shape with a distinct jawline. Next, add the neck, extending it downward with a smooth curve. Draw the body as a large, rounded shape connecting to the neck and a small, curved tail at the back. Add two rounded shapes for the front and hind legs. Draw the facial features, including an eye with a highlight and a small, smiling mouth.

Refine the legs by adding simple feet. For added detail, draw a small heart shape on the body. Finally, color your dinosaur to complete the drawing. Use simple geometric shapes and avoid unnecessary details, focusing on the smooth, rounded lines to keep the dinosaur looking really cute.

How to draw a dinosaur step by step

Drawing a T-Rex Easy

In this example, I decided to show another version of a dinosaur with different proportions, featuring powerful hind limbs and a large head. This drawing represents a Tyrannosaurus Rex, one of the most famous predatory dinosaurs.

Start by drawing an oval for the head and a larger, overlapping oval for the body. Add a long, curved tail extending from the body. Sketch the mouth with sharp, zigzag lines for teeth and a circle for the eye. Draw the small arms with clawed fingers. Next, add the strong hind legs, ensuring they are thick and muscular.

Refine the body shape and add details like toes on the feet. Finally, erase unnecessary lines and color your T-Rex to complete the drawing. This method avoids realistic details but maintains the basic proportions of this prehistoric animal, making it a fun and educational drawing activity.

Drawing a t-rex step by step

Drawing a Triceratops

To draw a triceratops, start by sketching the head outline in profile view with an open mouth and distinct crest. Add details to the head, including eyes and nostrils. Draw the neck and the front limbs with defined joints and claws. Extend the body from the neck, shaping the torso and back.

Add the hind limbs, ensuring they mirror the front limbs in style and detail. Sketch the tail extending from the back, tapering to a point. Refine the drawing by adding texture and details like scales. Finally, color your triceratops in brown or green.

Drawing a triceratops step by step

Conclusion

Drawing dinosaurs is an incredibly exciting activity, don’t you think? I hope you enjoyed following along with my tutorials as much as I enjoyed creating them for you.

Remember, the key to mastering the art of drawing dinosaurs is practice. Try sketching as many dinosaurs as you can in various poses and styles to train your skills in art.

Experimenting with different techniques will help you improve and reach the level of a true master artist. Additionally, I deeply appreciate your subscriptions and comments on my social media channels. Your support is really important for me.

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